A Week of First Blooms ... And A Look Back

Freesia laxa aka Lapeirousia laxa aka Anomotheca laxa aka False Freesia 

Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or' 

I call this Okra Mallow. Abelmoschus spp. (A. moschatus, I think)

Laura Bush Petunia

I've been more than a little remiss in keeping up with my Lee Valley garden journal.  Looking back at my January 27th entries in previous years reminds me why it's both enlightening and entertaining to commit my garden observations to those pages.  In 2009, I noted that it was a "dreary day, gray and 68 at 9 AM".   I "worked at battling oxalis in back.  Upper hand gained for moment."  The HG says that's especially rich, given how much time I spent this week doing the same thing.  In 2010, I counted close to 40 goldfinches at the feeders and noted that  they emptied one feeder within the space of a few hours of its being replenished.   In 2011, I was on my way to New York City, the day after it was hit by 19 inches of snow.  An aside: on the 28th, I learned firsthand why there are signs warning you to beware of falling ice.  A small nugget struck my hand when it fell from the upper story of the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel, necessitating a visit to the concierge for first aid.  


Today's entry was relatively benign in comparison: I noted first blooms on Grand Soleil d'Or and queried why I planted that next to a Salvia macrophylla 'Cherry Chief', which is still blooming and creates quite the lurid color combination.   The Toadflax in that area are tiny seedlings or their blooms might serve to lessen the visual pain inflicted on my eyeballs.  I'm adding a note now: move the Salvia!